Building a Garage for Your Home

Garages create a whole new life to a home, no matter what purpose they serve. A regular three-bedroom house' value can differ significantly, depending on whether it has suitable garaging or not.

If your property doesn't have the right garaging, or if you're planning to build one, how do you start?

The first thing you have to do is choose a style you want. Read more about this at http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/garage.aspx. Maybe you can check out magazines, both online and offline or your neighbor's garage. Decide on what you want and ask yourself some very important questions.

Does it have a loft and is it adequately sized for a conversion? Is it supposed to perform a lot of different tasks or strictly house your car?

Make sure your proposed shelterlogic garage in a box is large enough for the new generation of family cars. Shallow pitched or flat roofs must be avoided if possible because you may have to replace them, in case you plan to convert later on.

Needless to say, it's very important to plan your garage' design carefully, if only to provide you the option of converting later on and making use of any extra precious space.

In your plan, you should be able to lay down the foundation that will lead to a future conversion. Don't forget to tank the floor and leave allowances for water supply, power, and drainage.

Attaching your portable garage shelter to your house also makes sense in terms of an easier potential conversion, and look into adding a side door or window as well.

You have to consider yet another issue - insulation. Keep your garage insulated with the same standard as the rest of your house to ensure that no heat is lost from your home.

If you're thinking of converting the garage into living space in the future, insulating the walls while they are built is a good way to save money.

If you're thinking which garage door to get, the most popular option out there is the up-and-over one piece, which is cheap and comes with an overlap shelter made for unloading of your car's trunk.

A vertically lifting door is another option, and it is constructed with a set of hinged panels that enable the door to curve while you lift it, giving room for cars to be parked in front of it and providing more space in the drive.

Compared to all other types of garage doors, steel is still the most durable, and it usually comes with a plastic finish or is primed for painting. Timber is also a good option, but it requires a microporous stain treatment every three years. If you're looking for a wood effect, a good low maintenance option is glass-reinforced polyester. Whichever you choose, use a reliable locking system for your security.

Finally, you can also make your garage into something that will serve multiple purposes. And if ever you decide to sell your house in the future, this is going to be a very strong selling point.